SALEM, Va. – The West Liberty University softball team opened play in the Mountain East Conference Tournament on Wednesday afternoon, falling to Glenville State, 6-2, at the Moyer Sports Complex.
The Hilltoppers (22-30) battled throughout but were unable to overcome a big second inning from the Pioneers (40-13), who plated four runs to take control early.
Glenville State struck first in the opening inning before breaking the game open in the second, highlighted by a two-run home run from Delany Warnick that pushed the lead to 5-0.
West Liberty began to chip away in the middle innings. In the fourth, Shelby Harris delivered an RBI double to left center, scoring Sara Simon, who led the Hilltoppers offensively with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate.
The Hilltoppers added another run in the fifth as Jillian Morr came around to score, trimming the deficit to 6-2. West Liberty finished with seven hits on the afternoon and drew four walks, but couldn't string together enough offense against Glenville State's pitching staff.
In the circle, Ashlyn Tapman got the start before Kadence Pettit took the loss, allowing five runs over 1.2 innings. Rylee Mangold provided a strong relief effort, tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to keep West Liberty within reach late.
Despite the loss, the Hilltoppers showed resilience defensively, committing no errors in the contest.
West Liberty will look to bounce back on Thursday as they face West Virginia State in an elimination game scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at
westliberty.edu.
